First of all, I have to mention that I’ve been attending my university for about almost four years so far, and until this year I had no idea that my school had a sorority, let alone two. In fact, when I was talking with some of my friends about the sorority, they all pretty much said this: “Wait, there’s a sorority at this school? I didn’t know that. Huh.”
Even more embarrassing, the only mental representation of sororities and Greek life I had in mind was based on American movies and television shows, where sorority girls were described in one of the following categories: 1) snotty rich girls determined to make life a living hell for a poor girl, or 2) snotty rich girls getting stalked and/or murdered by psychotic killers, so those mental representations didn’t really help at first. But I figured if I went to some recruitment events, I’d have some fun and meet new people, which I love to do. In the end, I didn’t regret the decision to go at all.
Now, as a naturally outgoing but shy person, I have to admit that deciding to join a sorority this year was probably the boldest action I have ever done in my life, social-wise. When I decided to go and see what it was like, I admit to thinking more than once: “are you crazy? What have you gotten yourself into this time?” But I was really bored by just going to classes everyday and having so much time to myself and then feeling lonely practically all the time. I did not want to feel like I was missing out on having a fun social life during my time at university, and I wanted to explore new opportunities at my school.
Being a part of a sorority can have a lot of benefits, obviously, and I feel like since I joined, it already had a positive effect on me and how I feel about belonging in a community. I always felt like I never really fit in any group, which is pretty obvious and understandable with my hearing loss. I still struggle with that feeling, but the frequency of it occurring declined after I started to be involved more in school organizations, including the sorority.
I promised myself at the start of the school year that I would try to work on my social skills and meet more people, so when I heard about the opportunity for the sorority, I had some doubts. But I knew that this would be a decent opportunity to meet more people, whether I got the offer to join the sorority or not. I was nervous about the fact that English isn’t my first language, and that I couldn’t hear, and how that would impact my experiences and influence their treatment towards me. But I was honestly surprised at all the efforts they took to include me in all the activities and how much they tried to make me feel comfortable, even though they did not have experience with people with the same condition that I had. I feel like by joining their sorority, I also gave them a different kind of experience in return.
Now, obviously, you won’t be best friends forever with every single girl, especially with a large group, but the chances are really good that you will at least meet someone you have a lot in common with. I met some neat people that I shared good memories with. During my time there, I felt like I was a part of a close-knit community and I honestly admired how close the girls were to each other and even if it’s not obvious, everyone showed a sense of respect and admiration for each other. I also was impressed at how serious everyone took their academics and their reputations.
Parties and social events weren’t the only thing that the sorority offered at all. When I first met the girls and heard a little more about what they did, I was impressed at the different activities the sorority did besides throwing social events and parties. The sorority does a lot of philanthropic work for different kinds of charities, so joining also offered many awesome opportunities to give back to other people and causes. I realized that being a part of Greek life was pretty much nothing like what the television shows and movies depicted.
But being a part of Greek life can come at a little price. When I decided to be a part of my sorority, I had absolutely no idea how much time and work it takes out of you. Balancing that, classes, schoolwork, volunteering and other things you have to prioritize in your university life, can be a tough task to do. Luckily, I did really well in my classes the semester I joined the sorority, so it is possible. The girls in the sorority were pretty supportive and understanding because they all went through the same thing and they can feel like being overwhelmed sometimes.
Some people would be jumping with joy at all the parties and events that come with being a part of Greek life, but sometimes all the offers and events can be a bit overwhelming and you just want to stay inside and take a break for yourself. Sometimes I wish I had more time to myself but then again, I like to be busy.
Now, being part of a sorority is not for everyone, and that is okay! I was bored and I was curious about the sorority and what it offered when I first joined and I feel like I would be the same person if I were a part of a sorority or not. But I do not regret going ahead with the decision to join a sorority; because I feel like I have met so many nice, supportive and wonderful people and also I feel like I’m more involved in my school, and the community. So if you want to meet new friends, find networking opportunities and be a part of a fun community, go for it! And hey, the new friends and the parties are fun bonuses!